Jeff Shuford: 6 skills successful entrepreneurs possess

Jeff Shuford More Content Now

Wednesday

Sep 4, 2019 at 9:00 AM

Wanting to start your own business and building a successful company does not necessarily go hand-in-hand. There are plenty of wannabe entrepreneurs who long for the ability to be their boss who never make the jump to entrepreneurship. If you are one of those individuals secretly dreaming of becoming an entrepreneur, there are several skills you should be working on to improve your chances of success. The following six skills are crucial if you want to be a successful entrepreneur instead of a wantrepreneur.

Ingenuity

Ingenuity has a more significant impact on entrepreneurial success than most imagine. Entrepreneurs who are creative in their approach to product development and marketing far outpace their competitors in customer acquisition. If you are an entrepreneur with mediocre creative skills, you had better know how to hire those who think more quickly than you.

Self-starter

If you are not a self-starter, your chances of entrepreneurial success greatly diminish. You can’t sit back and wait to be told what to do or for inspiration to strike. Successful entrepreneurs make things happen. If you are the type of person who follows the crowd instead of charting your course, you may not achieve the level of success you desire.

Willpower

Entrepreneurs who accomplish their goals tend to have stronger willpower than those who fail at building a successful business. They push through tough times and accept rough patches as part of their business-building journey. They understand that it is their willingness to carry on when others give up that will determine their level of success.

Flexibility

Flexible entrepreneurs tend to be more successful at achieving their dreams. They are willing to compromise when negotiating with investors and can see both sides of a discussion among their teammates. They don’t take an approach of “it’s my way or the highway,” and they work to ensure that all parties feel like they have won when the inevitable disagreements arise.

Listening

Listening skills are critical if you want to be an entrepreneur who reaches your goals. From listening to employees to paying attention to shifting market conditions, an entrepreneur who hones their listening skills is much likelier to achieve long-term success.

Hopeful

Hopeful entrepreneurs tend to be much more successful than their pessimistic counterparts. Optimism goes a long way when building a business. If you dwell on every negative aspect of business development, you could be dooming your company to failure. If there is one skill you can start improving today, you can be more hopeful about your future.

Achieving your dreams as an entrepreneur is an ongoing process. It can take years to build a successful company that lives up to your early yearnings. The more you work on your entrepreneurial skills, the better your chances are of achieving your goals.

Jeff Shuford is president of Tech From Vets, an award winning veteran-owned technology company. Tech From Vets merges NFL veterans and military veterans in the tech industry and develops innovative websites and mobile applications for their clients nationwide.

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